[quote=CompWedgeEngines][quote=fast68plymouth]Frankly, I'm confused by the op's last post.

He measured the installed height for himself, and after waaaaay too much discussion about it, it seems the installed height is actually not 1.885, but rather 1.825.

I dont even want to comment, but can't help it. I just lost a good 30 minutes of my life, reading all this...holy cow. Dwayne and I agree 100% on this, less the oil choices, and we're close enough there to call it good. I have a buddy who does a LOT of BBC marine engines, mostly all blown 2 and 3 screw boats, ALL hydraulic roller. Not going into all that, but lets just say, he isnt having issues. After all the analysis here, and the ( sorry) waste of a lot of time and money, there is one simple answer that will work, and its been mentioned many times, but seems to be getting brushed off for some reason? Just buy the Morels, make sure the heads are set up correctly ( as Dwayne has stated, probably one of the best Mopar cylinder head guys out there BTW, what he says is truth)I'm going to say it again, stop all the rambling, buy the Morels. Doesnt matter who packages them or who you buy them from, but your wasting a TON of time over an inevitable result. Chris Straub will more than handle your needs. Just in case no one heard me..( yes, inserting humor here) buy the Morels and please put this post to rest! Yes, I have experience with hydraulic roller Mopars, Chevies and Fords. By far, the Mopars are the more " problematic" of the bunch for several reasons ( no, I am not going to get into all that), but they WILL work, work fine, work in your application, and you can be back on the road. I would really consider if I were you, having someone look at those heads too. Just my opinion based what I have read here. Ok...signing out, going to go find some Excedrin!




Questions for the overwhelming majority of us who do not already know everything there is to know about Mopar BB valve trains with particular emphasis on hydraulic roller lifters.

*. Why Morel's rather than Johnson Sec(among others sold under Isky and Crower branding and manufactured in the USA). Not just opinion just as everyone has their favorite oils or gasolines, but hard evidence that they indeed are superior. Which Morel's,,,they sell one Mopar model under the Howard name at 450.00 per set and another so called race version at something like 1,200.00 per set of 16. Crower sets are at about 850.00 at Summit, which makes the Morel/Howard at 450.00,,,which would be a screaming deal especially if superior to others and better yet if USA manufacturer.

*. Hopefully will have the install height beehive CC tool to get an exact measurement tomorrow,,,,calipers and yardsticks be damned. Yes, i am a rookie at this as likely 95 percent of the non-pros and 9 second racers likely are on this forum. Many of us are trying to learn, however to be as informed as some who have uncounted years of experience is just not in the cards for most of us who are and always be merely be advanced hobbyists at best, so we tune in regularly to perhaps learn something of interest or value.

So some some unanswered questions even after the wearying manifesto that you have admittedly painfully endured.

1. I suspect my height install numbers on beehive springs will come out as they should be,,,,just the feeling that my machinist who set heads up did a good job. Given that if they are, and having today measured a number of my valve spring pressures(only on one bank as rockers are off left bank) using recently acquired LSM valve spring on car tester,,,I find pressures immediately off seat running about 130 pounds, whereas the were originally set at 155 pounds. Not horribly bad after a couple of years or so, but down 25 pounds. I was expecting perhaps 140 pounds.

I have ordered up a couple of shim sets to perhaps bring back to 150 or thereabouts.

The question becomes,,,,install spring heights will decrease some amount by shimming. What are if any the potential ramifications of modest decreases of install height beyond the increased possibility of spring bind?

Right now just eyeballing my right bank rocker arms, which again are still mounted,,,,there is a very wide gap between the coils of each spring(remember beehive, only a single spring per valve. Adding a .050 shim would appear to have little significance to the gap between coils,,,,how much pressure would this add at valve close time.

How does one accurately measure potential for spring bind while mounted on engine. Is their any other potential downside to shimming to regain spring pressure, and by doing so any other potential downsides other than spring bind. Or must they be measured on the bench.

Another question that I have pondered, a bit more complicated. Using the LSM pressure tool, you measured pressure when on valves fully seated,,,,lifter on cam heel. Possibly can do so for open,,,,I will call them tomorrow. By the way, I am quite pleased with this company and their responsiveness. Before you but this tool elsewhere, call and speak to Heidi directly. I have another tool made by a LSM competitor in spring testing,,,it appears of very low quality. The LSM product appears of very well engineered and high quality. Both companies sell at Summit and Amazon. Just saying

If one were to measure spring pressure on a valve that is full open,,,lifter peak of lobe,,,would I have an accurate reading for open valve spring pressure if I tugged on the handle of the tool just enough to have created a minuscule rocker arm to valve stem gap?

A somewhat related imponderable would be if I had say 150 pounds at valve seated, and knew the spring tension characteristics and rocker arm ratio, could the open valve pressure be calculated without actually measuring it. In simpler terms, does one even need to know open pressures to reliably assume springs are still sound if closed is known? Are tensions linear from full closed to full open.

For those who believe this thread is wasted time and space,,,,delete or bypass is an option available to all,,,Jeeeze,,,,I have seen 47 pages of discussions on Jamie Passon's 5 speed over some 4 years,,,I still check it out from time to time and I do not even have one in my future,,,,I suspect that many forum members have gotten far more useful out of some of the expertise bantered about on this thread, particularly with Porters shared insights.

By the way Dwayne, the Hot Rod oil you recommend, who is the manufacturer, is it Lucas? I have used synthetic for years should I not? Has zinc any value to an engine not running a flat tappet cam?

The entire subject of hydraulic rollers , who manufacturers them and who markets them, and why they often fail has been a big black hole for myself, it is no longer.

Any typos I will correct later